RPGs

[Billick]

I have so many RPGs in my queue it's not funny.   I also just picked up Witcher 2 in a sale.  I tried Witcher 1, but the combat seemed pretty boring.  Rain Slick 3 is in there.  I just picked up Dark Souls. Eschelon. Avadon.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Path of Exile yet.  It's free, and if you're looking for a spiritual successor to Diablo 2, I'd say that's the way to go.  I actually enjoyed Diablo 3 somewhat, even with all the bizarre design choices. 

Some other ones I liked:
Legend of Grimrock
Avernum (the new one)
Dragon Age Origins
Skyrim (duh)

[LaughingThesaurus]

Eh, we only got on an ARPG kick because somebody mentioned Diablo 3 (and BOY do I have a lot to say about that game...) They aren't really RPGs in the sense that RPGs normally are, though. That's kind of why I didn't keep that conversation going or anything.
Speaking of RPGs, I still need to finish Deus Ex. The original one.

[zespri]

If we are bringing up Legends of Grimrock, how about Dungeons of Dreadmor? Are those RPGs?

[Billick]

I'd consider roguelike a subgenre of RPG

[Aklyon]

I'd call Grimrock a dungeon crawler more than anything else, but I could see roguelike as a part of RPG.

[LaughingThesaurus]

I vote roguelikes as comprehensive enough to really be RPGs. I don't see Torchlight and stuff as very pure RPGs because they just aren't very complex or involved games at all. You click the stuff and it dies. In roguelikes you often manage a lot of things and have a very long list of factors to consider in every situation. Other RPGs involve careful deliberation when you talk to people, build your character, fight, and all that sort of thing. Torchlight's really more of an action game.

[Pepisolo]

I vote roguelikes as comprehensive enough to really be RPGs. I don't see Torchlight and stuff as very pure RPGs because they just aren't very complex or involved games at all. You click the stuff and it dies. In roguelikes you often manage a lot of things and have a very long list of factors to consider in every situation. Other RPGs involve careful deliberation when you talk to people, build your character, fight, and all that sort of thing. Torchlight's really more of an action game.

Torchlight does involve a lot of careful skill/equipment/inventory management and character building, especially in Hardcore mode. The ARPG category does suit it perfectly, though.  For 100% pharmaceutical grade RPGs you'd probably have to go back to pen and paper D & D -- I'm being a bit extreme there, though!

[LaughingThesaurus]

I do think it leads quite a lot more towards an action game though. Think about, say, even a game like FTL in comparison to Torchlight/2. You can't just fire up the weapons and kill weaker things without a thought in FTL. Everything requires some thought and management. You can begin to lose a dangerous fight in seconds if you have managed or built up poorly.

[Endymion]

Ville and Anne Mönkkönen's Driftmoon is a pretty awesome indie RPG but what I really love about it is how it was made with modding in mind from the beginning so the built-in editor is really easy to use and powerful.